The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) appears to be overwhelmed by the scale of the turmoil that is reigning in the mining sector, according to the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA).
Due to the attractive price of gold, GHRA said in a statement issued on Friday, Guyanese from all over the country along with an unknown large number of foreigners, including those from Brazil, Canada, Australia, are invading mining areas.
At the same time, the human rights body observed that most small-scale miners are engaged in land dredging (4” hoses) but the tailings still drain into the rivers, particularly at the sources, while more rivers are taking on the characteristics of the Konawaruk, which was declared to be “dead” by the current Chair of the GGMC years ago.
“Rivers are being diverted by dredging operations which follow seams wherever they lead and reports have been received of villages in the Pomeroon head and the Barama River losing most of their wildlife because of logging and mining activities,” the GHRA said, adding that since dengue, typhoid and malaria testing are not available in most community health centres, the incidence is rising.
The statement was based on issued discussed by GHRA executives two Saturday’s ago where it reviewed critical concerns.
Addressing the labour movement, the GHRA noted that it remains divided as was evident from the recent May Day events but the scale of the contract worker issue has created an opportunity and incentive for labour to reposition itself vis-a-vis re-unification of the movement, the GHRA said. It argued that since separate confederations of unions are permitted under the new labour legislation, unification is hampered by encouraging the tendency for both ethnic and political polarising of unions around the two major parties.
“Without a unified campaign to restore permanent employment to public and private sector jobs, workers will continue to be exploited and vulnerable to instant dismissal,” the GHRA asserted.
It also noted the furore over contract labour generated by the recent opposition budget cuts is not limited to the public service. In addition, it said private sector firms and international agencies reportedly have staff on rolling three-month contracts and contract workers are not allowed to join unions, effectively weakening the power of unions as a whole.
